Feet take on the burden of all our weight-bearing activities. Faulty foot alignment and biomechanics can contribute to chronic pain and joint issues, as well as performance challenges.
In this article, we will share five signs your feet may be the problem and things to consider before booking your next appointment.
If you know Dr. Melanie, you may be aware that she is a little obsessed with foot health. As a young teenager, she was diagnosed with “flat feet” and forced to wear those horrible, stiff shoe orthotics. She then developed patello-femoral syndrome from overuse on the “stair master” and being a non-compliant podiatry patient. Those orthotics were just too uncomfortable.
Years of dance training and performance, and weight training took their toll on her feet and knees. But, this eventually led her to develop a chiropractic practice based on posture and performance, and both are dependent on foot biomechanics!
Low back pain and foot problems affect 80% of adults. (1)
Interesting fact: Patients with foot problems experience little or no pain in the feet themselves.
The feet are very flexible and often adapt to these problems. But unhealthy foot biomechanics are more likely to manifest as pain in the knees, hips, and spine, even your temporomandibular joints (the jaw).
So, how would you suspect you have faulty feet?
Let’s look at these considerations:
5 SIGNS YOUR FEET COULD BE THE PROBLEM
1. Uneven Shoe Wear.
Flip your shoes over. Look at the soles. You may have more wear (erosion) on the outside part of the heels or the inside of the heels. What does this mean? Your heels are not striking the ground evenly. This means your feet are rolling outward or inward as you propel forward.
2. Hip and Pelvic Unleveling.
Stand in front of a mirror and put your hands on your hips, meaning the top of your pelvis. One hand may look higher than the other. Chances are your pelvis is rotated and/or tilted. This is referred to as pelvic unleveling, or obliquity, affecting your stability and balance. It can be caused by things such as leg length inequality, scoliosis, muscle imbalance, subluxation, or a host of congenital causes. Recent research has also linked this condition to total hip replacement (2).
3. You are Not Happy with Your Physical Performance or Posture.
You fatigue easily on your feet. You tend to lose your balance. You have a history of chronic pain and or suffer from recurring ankle sprains. Posture begins from the ground up. The weight distribution on all parts of your feet affects the rest of the body.
Unhealthy foot biomechanics can result in an increased risk of falls and instability during normal activity or sports. AND this is more likely to manifest as pain in the knees, hips, and spine.
4. You suffer from Foot Sensitivity, Circulation Issues, or Neuropathy.
Conditions such as diabetes can impact your circulation and skin sensitivity and eventually cause ulcers in the feet. This affects your ability to walk properly and maintain a balanced distribution of weight on all joints from the feet up! Plantar fasciitis is another common condition
5. Your Chiropractic Adjustments Are Not Holding Very Long.
The moment you get off the chiropractic table, the instability of the feet can start pushing everything back out of alignment. Why? Your feet are your foundation and will affect the kinetic chain leading up to your skull!
There are several more reasons to consider the role of the feet, but we covered some common ones. If you have concerns about your walking, endurance, or stability, contact us at 623.572.4476
So, what can we do to improve the health of our feet?
1. Get the joints realigned and moving optimally with chiropractic.
Chiropractic is, of course, our Number One “go-to” and the foundational intervention for health. The adjustments to the spine, the feet, and other peripheral joints restore balance to the body’s kinetic chain, taking pressure off the feet and improving flexibility. Don’t forget, chiropractic treatment also resets the nervous system, allowing healthier transmission of nerve signals to all the structures, organs, and cells related to the spinal joints. Dr. Melanie has over 27 years of experience and takes a full-body approach. She does not focus only on your site of pain, because everything is interconnected!
2. Regulate and balance the Qi.
Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years, and it has huge benefits for foot conditions, such as plantar fasciitis and neuropathy. By stimulating specific points not only on the feet but along corresponding meridians, patients experience benefits of enhanced blood flow, reduced pain, and balance across organ systems and the energy pathways (meridians). Dr. Melanie works with highly experienced and skilled acupuncturists. You can request more information by contacting us, and we will match you with the best professional for your unique needs and comfort level.
3. Reduce Muscle Tension and Repair Damaged Tissues.
Massage and other Myofascial techniques, including trigger point therapy, Gua Sha, and Cupping, are all effective in improving flexibility and stimulating the release of toxins from those tissues.
However, on a deeper level, Shockwave Therapy works faster and penetrates deeper by stimulating the growth of blood vessels, the formation of collagen, and the breakdown of scar tissue. Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common foot conditions that responds really well to Shockwave.
4. Strengthen and Train Your Biomechanics: Foot and Spine Rehabilitation.
If you are not working on your strength and stability, other therapies you spend time and money on will not be optimized. So, don’t forget to invest in yourself. Dr. Melanie is a stickler for patient education. Core spine and extremity exercises, as well as foot exercises to strengthen your arches, toe flexors and extensors, and ankle mobility, are key. If you would like to know more about our patient rehab training sessions, call us at 623.572.4476 or send us a message.
Get a Non-Invasive Digital Scan and Support Your Feet and Spine.
You can do any or all of the above four strategies, but if you are neglecting your feet and pelvic stabilization, your issues could persist long-term or return after symptom relief care.
The 3D Digital Scan measures the weight distribution of every part of each foot, as well as your lean between left and right. The scanner also reveals the status of all three arches in the feet to create customized functional supports.
Custom orthotics should be flexible and move with the feet while your body is in motion and shifting weight while standing. They should also support all three arches in your feet (medial, lateral, and transverse). The transverse arch is often missed in most orthotic brands.
By redistributing the body’s weight evenly, it helps mitigate friction that can cause more significant health issues.
Patients at our office get their feet assessed with the 3D Scanner early in the treatment plan. Ordering orthotics is not required, but they can relieve musculoskeletal abnormalities and reduce symptoms by enhancing the feet’s ability to support, move, and protect the body.
If you wish to learn more about the relationship between your feet and your health complaints, please call our office at 623.LP CHIRO (572-4476)
References:
- Schafer RC: Chiropractic Management of Extraspinal Articular Arlington: American Chiropractic Association
- Loppini M, Temporiti F, Furone R, Galli M, Grappiolo G, Gatti Static and dynamic pelvic kinematics after one-stage bilateral or unilateral total hip arthroplasty. HIP International. 2021;31(6):729-734